My problem with IQ tests is I don't know think they measure what the world thinks they do. I am not even certain what the definition of intelligence is, yet there is some test that will determine it in some manner? This seems inherently flawed to me.
In honesty, all I can really say with some amount of conviction is that IQ tests measure how well your answers match the correct answers on the IQ test, and that how you answers the questions may correlate to your ability to do other, hard to define things.
Having said that, I think the notion that you can do 'whatever you set your mind to' is just blind optimism. There are some people who are very talented at certain things, and no matter how hard you try, you will most likely never be as good as them, and depending on your relative strengths and weaknesses, you may not even come close. Everyone is no on some magical semi-equal playing field.
In honesty, all I can really say with some amount of conviction is that IQ tests measure how well your answers match the correct answers on the IQ test, and that how you answers the questions may correlate to your ability to do other, hard to define things.
Having said that, I think the notion that you can do 'whatever you set your mind to' is just blind optimism. There are some people who are very talented at certain things, and no matter how hard you try, you will most likely never be as good as them, and depending on your relative strengths and weaknesses, you may not even come close. Everyone is no on some magical semi-equal playing field.
